(Brandon, MB – September 20, 2009) The Western Canadian Music Alliance is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards!

2009 WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS

WINNERS

Aboriginal Recording of the Year

Eagle & Hawk – Sirensong

Blues Recording of the Year

Big Dave McLean – Acoustic Blues – Got ‘em from the bottom

Children’s Recording of the Year

Bobs & Lolo – Action Packed

Contemporary Christian/Gospel Recording of the Year

Steve Bell – Devotion

Classical Composition of the Year

T. Patrick Carrabré – A Hammer For Your Thoughts

Classical Recording of the Year

Windrose Trio – Path Of Contact

Country Recording of the Year

Doc Walker – Beautiful Life

Album francophone de l’année/ Francophone Recording of the Year

Daniel ROA – Le nombril du monde

Independent Album of the Year

The Waking Eyes – Holding On To Whatever It Is

Instrumental Recording of the Year

Steve Dawson – Telescope

Jazz Recording of the Year

Jerrold Dubyk – The Maverick

Pop Recording of the Year

Marianas Trench – Masterpiece Theatre

Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year

Grand Analog – Touch Your Toes

Rock Recording of the Year

Theory of a Deadman – Scars and Souvenirs

Roots Duo/Group Recording of the Year

The Deep Dark Woods – Winter Hours

Roots Solo Recording of the Year

Romi Mayes – Achin In Yer Bones

Songwriter of the Year

Romi Mayes – Achin In Yer Bones

Urban Recording of the Year

Krystle Dos Santos – Krystle Dos Santos

World Recording of the Year

Delhi 2 Dublin – Delhi 2 Dublin

Hall of Fame Award

Loreena McKennitt

International Achievement Award

Micheal Bublé

James Ehnes

Agency of the Year

Paquin Entertainment Group

Album Design of the Year

Derek Bachman – One More Night with You Live by Skavenjah

Engineer of the Year

Shawn Pierce

Independent Record Label of the Year

Mint Records

Live Music Venue of the Year

The Commodore Ballroom

Manager of the Year

Terry McBride

Multi Media Award

Mitch Barany – City of Noise – The Summerland

Producer of the Year

Steve Dawson

Talent Buyer of the Year

Harvey Cohen – The Union Ltd.

Heritage Award

Robert Turner

Industry Builder Award

Gilles Paquin – Paquin Entertainment Group

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ABOUT THE AWARDS:

The 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards took place in Brandon, Manitoba September 17-20.

The WCMA is well-known as western Canada’s largest music festival and awards ceremony. The WCMA is made up of five Industry Associations: Alberta Music, Manitoba Music, Music BC, Music Yukon and SaskMusic.

Brandon’s Centennial Auditorium hosted the WCMA Awards Gala on Sunday evening, September 20 – the pinnacle of the four day festival.

The WCMA Awards Brunch, which honoured the industry award winners, was held Saturday, September 19 at the Brandon Canad Inns. One of Canada’s premier recording artists, Loreena McKennitt, was the keynote interview at the brunch.

The WCMA weekend kicked off Thursday, September 17 with the annual Brandon University “Rock the Block” street party. On Friday and Saturday, 50-plus bands performed at seven of Brandon’s top venues. At the same time, 400 music industry professionals and artists attended the WCMA conference at Brandon’s Canad Inns and Keystone Centre.

Wednesday September 23
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Phillips Brewery – 2010 Government St., Victoria BC

Music BC has teamed up with the organizers of Rifflandia and Transmission to host a special welcoming event at the legendary Phillps Brewery. Come meet some of this year’s delegation as well as the teams behind these two unique events. Local suds will flow, alongside authentic BBQ courtesy of Langford’s own Smoken Bones Cookshack.

Space is very limited, and is for paid Music BC members only (membership card must be presented at door). To attend, please RSVP to: rsvp@musicbc.org. You will be notified via email confirmation prior to the event, and you must be over 19 to attend.

The Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria, BC, has announced the full schedule for this year’s event with the official launch of their new website at www.rifflandia.com. The new site includes venue details and schedules plus complete artist information on all performers. As previously reported, confirmed artists include such acclaimed Canadian acts as Tegan and Sara, Buck 65, Holy F**k, Final Fantasy, Pink Mountaintops, The Most Serene Republic, Cuff The Duke, Basia Bulat, Timber Timbre, Mother Mother, Woodpigeon, Zeus and 2009 Polaris Music Prize short list nominee, Hey Rosetta!, international acts such as Beach House (USA) and An Horse (Australia), along with DJ sets by K-OS as well as Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene.

The festival takes place September 24 – 27 at multiple venues in downtown Victoria, BC. The first edition of the Rifflandia Magazine will debut on Labor Day weekend, which will serve as a complete guide to this year’s festival. In addition to this, Rifflandia’s new Festival Headquarters is now open, located at 523 Pandora Ave., where patrons and artists can pick up tickets, passes and all pertinent information. “We’re off to a great start with our sold out ticket pre-sale, and public awareness seems to be at an all time high” says Nick Blasko, the festival’s principal producer.

This year’s festival will also play host to the delegates and showcase artists of the fourth edition of Transmission (www.transmitnow.com).

DISCOUNTED WRISTBANDS FOR MUSIC BC MEMBERS ONLY!

The wristband is your key to Rifflandia! It gets you into all shows*, and entitles you to a myriad of discounts from some of Victoria’s favorite businesses. Click on Wristband Connect for complete details or click here: www.rifflandia.com/wristband-connect

Wristbands are $40.00 (+GST and Service Charges) for Music BC members only! Regular price is $60.00 (+GST and Service Charges). To get your discounted Rifflandia wristband, visit: www.ticketweb.ca/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2177934

Password: musicbc

*Admission to all shows by festival wristband or transmission delegate pass only. All shows subject to age limit and capacity restrictions.

See you there!!

Free FACTOR Clinic

***Session is now full! If you did not already receive confirmation, you will not be able to attend.****

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2009 | 2-4pm
Location: Long & McQuade (368 Terminal Ave, VANCOUVER | 604-734-4886)
Fee: FREE

Long & McQuade Vancouver is pleased to host Heather Ostertag in this vital information session, labelled Getting the Facts Straight on FACTOR.

As the President of FACTOR, Heather is required to liaise with government, broadcasters and the Industry, but even outside her FACTOR duties, Ms. Ostertag is an active member in the Canadian music community. She is the current chair of the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA), and is a life-time director on the Board of Directors for the East Coast Music Awards.

Ms. Ostertag has been well recognized by the music industry. She has been twice voted one of Canada’s 30 Top Most Influential Music Executives. The East Coast Music Association appointed her an “Honorary Lifetime Director” in 1995, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters honoured her with the Ruth Hancock “Friend of the Industry” award in 1996. She has since been inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and awarded the Harris Alumni Award for Excellence in Music Industry Education. In February 2002, the FACTOR Board of Directors presented her with an award for Integrity and in 2003 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Don’t miss what’s sure to be an informative and interactive session.

To register for this clinic, please email us at: vancouver@long-mcquade.com with your contact information. Please note that this is not a seat reservation. It gives us a means of contacting you should the date, time or location of this clinic change. Seating is on a first come first served basis.